Direct Mail Trends for 2024

As customer expectations evolve and digital channels become increasingly crowded, direct mail is experiencing a strategic resurgence in 2024. Far from fading, physical mail is being reinvented with smarter targeting, personalised creative and better data integration. In this article, we explore the direct mail trends shaping customer engagement this year.

Our inboxes and screens are so filled with ads, that digital fatigue is overcoming us. A 2022 UK report discovered that people spent a third of their waking lives using mobile apps,* with that number set to grow.

With so much time and energy spent in the digital world, it’s now something special when you receive a piece of direct mail. The tangibility of it; the mystery of what lies inside before you rip open the envelope. No matter how much it tries, digital just can’t match the physical and emotional experience.

Digital marketing is almost at the point of saturation – meaning that 2024 offers marketers an opportunity to bring direct mail back into their strategies and stand out like never before. A recent study by Zipido reveals some staggering figures – 80-90% of direct mail gets opened, whilst just 20-30% of email is opened on average. With stats like this, Andrea Candy, Head of Growth and Customer Relationships at Zipform Digital – and long-time proponent of the success of printed direct mail, has outlined the top five most promising direct mail trends for 2024 that marketing managers need to take notice of.

Data Optimisation

Direct mail no longer needs to be a stab in the dark; sending out a mail piece to 100,000 customers and hoping to reach that target response rate through volume alone. Postage increases are a real concern, the cost of paper continues to increase – so marketers should focus on what they can control, which is data. More precise data modelling opens up the opportunity to focus on segments which continue to offer the best return on investment.

The rich data held by organisations can power Variable Printing – with the investment that Zipform Digital have made in cutting edge innovation in this field, marketers can create campaigns using their data to create mail pieces with customised offers, copy and even images.

Artificial Intelligence

The swift adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and continuing advances in the field have created a wealth of opportunity for direct mail and in some cases transform how campaigns are created.

For example,

• Content creation and campaign analysis can be automated, saving precious resources and time
• Analyse customer data and create accurate predictions as to which segments would be more likely to respond to particular messages or offers
• Optimisation and faster adjustment of mail campaigns from response analysis, including copy, headlines, offers and even design or images

Andrea Candy explains how clients are already taking advantage of these developments,

“An energy client is already using AI via Zipform Digital and key partner SmartMeasures. Personalised customer communicatons is taken to the next level using AI and behavioural science to deliver proactive outbound campaigns to reduce customer churn and debt. The AI in this instance identifies the best-performing treatment messages for each at-risk customer and it’s then incorporated into the relevant mailing.”

Libby Dale from SmartMeasures – Zipform Digital’s AI partner – explains further:

“We have really struggled with mail houses as they generally only offer ‘batch type campaigns’ with limited ability to provide variability, whereas we need the capability for the treatment AI to send the best-suited message to individual customers. It’s critical to have the right partner for AI to have the flexible environment to succeed – in our case Zipform Digital is that partner.”

Trigger based marketing

Trigger based marketing is not new – however trigger-based marketing generated by AI and then integrated with digital is set to become the new normal in 2024. With the right partner who can enable AI trigger based direct mail, Andrea Candy says that once established, it’s a simple and cost-effective approach to not only drive sales for your business, but possibly change customer behaviour.

“Setting the rules for what is that trigger is critical. API integration of the trigger data from our customers means that we can send out a communication within real time for digital and 48 hours for mail, whilst that original action is still fresh in the mind of the customer.

Integration of a digital aspect is even more likely to increase the ROI. Our customers have seen significant returns from this approach to direct marketing, as the customer is being captured at the very peak of their propensity to purchase and custom journeys have been created based on responses.”

Integrating direct with digital

Combine the best of both worlds and seamlessly integrate digital and print direct mail. This is a powerful trend which can be facilitated by integration of a QR code – intertwining the known allure of something tangible in hand, with the immediacy of digital. The sophistication of print production enables this, offering even the possibility of a bespoke QR code for each customer on their mail piece, linked to a personalised offer or message.

Segmentation moves beyond demographics

The recent release of Kantar’s Media Trends and Predictions report for 2024, revealed the impact of the cost of living crisis has changed the way that we need to view traditional demographic segmentation as a standalone approach to targeting consumers. Age, location, income and gender are no longer enough, we must now understand attitudes, values and behaviours.

For example, a family with the same household income may have different priorities and pain points – one may be under severe mortgage stress, whilst the other is not. Marketers can embrace niche – but fruitful – opportunities and more precise targeting.

Andrea Candy is one of Perth’s most respected and experienced customer communications professionals with over 20 years’ experience in this field.

As Head of Growth & Customer Relationships for Zipform Digital, Andrea specialises in understanding the rapidly changing direct mail landscape in Australia. She genuinely strives to understand her client’s business, challenges and the demands they have in not only delivering value to their customers but generating positive return on investment.

Connect with Andrea on LinkedIn.